Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 in La Crosse

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1970 at 1608 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
N956SM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Minneapolis – La Crosse – Chicago
MSN:
203
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
XV106
Location:
La Crosse
Wisconsin
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2350
Captain / Total hours on type:
920.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2277
Copilot / Total hours on type:
577
Circumstances:
While executing a non precision instrument approach to La Crosse Airport in marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck tree trops and crashed 4,000 feet short of runway 13 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and there was no fire. All six occupants were seriously injured. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were considered as poor with indefinite ceiling, 500 feet obscuration, visibility half a mile, light drizzle and fog.
Probable cause:
For reasons unknown, the captain failed to maintain altitude at minimum descent altitude and allowed the aircraft to descend below the height of the trees while executing a non precision instrument approach in instrument flight conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B in Kerkyra

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
SX-DAI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Athens - Kerkyra
MSN:
45544/1026
YOM:
1958
Location:
Kerkyra
Ionian Islands / Ιόνια νησιά
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
62
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Kerkyra-Ioánnis Kapodístrias Airport runway 35, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on runway then veered off runway to the left and came to rest 450 feet further. All 67 occupants were evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the nose gear upon landing.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor off San Francisco

Date & Time: Nov 2, 1970 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Operator:
Registration:
N6654R
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
San José – San Francisco
MSN:
AF-485
YOM:
1953
Location:
San Francisco
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
14000
Captain / Total hours on type:
3300.00
Circumstances:
While approaching San Francisco Airport in foggy conditions, the crew reduced his altitude and passed below the minimum descent altitude when the twin engine airplane struck the water surface and crashed into the San Francisco Bay, few hundred yards off shore. All four occupants were injured and rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of the crew who failed to follow the approved procedures. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling and fog,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Weather considerably worse than forecast,
- Descended below MDA,
- Procedure requested identification of approach or runway lights not in effect by operator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Quy Nhơn

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
B-1543
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Saigon – Quảng Ngãi
MSN:
33021
YOM:
1945
Location:
Quy Nhơn
Bình Định Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Apparently following fuel problems (fuel exhaustion ?), the crew was forced to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed on a beach located in Quy Nhơn. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18V in Simferopol

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-75578
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
185 0081 03
YOM:
1965
Location:
Simferopol
Autonomous Republic of Crimea
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
An engine failed during flight and the crew was cleared to divert to Simferopol Airport for an emergency landing. After touchdown, the airplane overran and came to rest. There were no casualties while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Chernivtsi

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1970
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-02833
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1G54-38
YOM:
1965
Location:
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi Oblast
Country:
Ukraine
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew encountered below-minima weather conditions and elected to make an emergency landing near Chernivtsi when the aircraft crashed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3DST-318A near Đà Nẵng: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
B-305
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Saigon - Huê
MSN:
3251
YOM:
1940
Location:
Đà Nẵng
Đà Nẵng City District
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While descending to Huê Airport, the crew was instructed by ATC to divert to Đà Nẵng Airport due to poor weather conditions. While approaching Đà Nẵng at low height, the airplane struck a mountain (970 meters high) located near the Cloud Pass, about 17 km north of the airfield. A passenger and three crew members were killed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2T in Izhevsk

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-35417
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1133 473 15
YOM:
1960
Location:
Izhevsk
Republic of Udmurtia
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Izhevsk Airport, the aircraft stalled and crashed in an open field. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The single engine aircraft stalled on final approach due to an insufficient speed caused by a pilot error.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 300 on Mt Knúkur: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1970 at 1056 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fokker F27 Friendship
Operator:
Registration:
TF-FIL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Reykjavik – Vágar
MSN:
10356
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
FI701
Location:
Mt Knúkur
Vágar
Country:
Faroe Islands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
5419
Aircraft flight cycles:
3390
Circumstances:
Flights from Reykjavik to Vágar were cancelled on 23 and 24 September. On 25 September, while approaching the Faroe Islands, weather was poor and the crew diverted to Bergen Airport, Norway. In the morning of 26 September, it appears that weather conditions improved slightly at Vágar Airport. On approach, the crew encountered clouds and limited visibility so the pilot was unable to locate the fjord mouth. Following a holding circuit of 25 minutes over the MY NDB, the crew initiated a descent. A minute later, while at an altitude of 1,55 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Knukur located few km from the airfield. A crew members and seven passengers were killed while 26 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident was that FI 701 began a descent through cloud procedure from a starting point other than over "MY" NDB. During this procedure the aircraft hit close to the highest point of Myggenaes at an altitude of about 1500 ft. The reason for starting the procedure from a position other than "MY", has probably been an interference caused by FI 701's weather radar, which on the ADF's has given the crew an erroneous indication that they were passing "MY" NDB.
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